Automobile-lifting device



H. F. FIENUP. AUTOMOBILE LIFTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.3I, 1918.

Patented June 7, 1921.

FFHQE.

FATENT HENRY F. FIENUP, 0F WELLSTON, MISSOURI.

'A'UTOMOBILE-LIFTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 31, 1918. Serial No. 252,248.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. FIENUP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vellston, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile- LiftingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates-to improvements in automobile lifting devices ofthat class which are especially adapted for use in garages and has forits object to provide a lifting device of simple and inexpensiveconstruction which'can be easily and readily actuated for raising allfour wheels of an automobile free of the ground or floor or loweringsame thereupon by the mere raising or lowering of a single lever.

' \Vith the aboveand other objects in view, the invention consists incertain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination ofparts hereinafter described and finally pointed out in the claims heretoappended. V Y

In order that those skilled in the art to which the invention appertainsmay know how to make and use the same, I will describe the constructionillustrated, in detail, and refer by reference characters to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a plan view of a liftingdevice,

constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3, is a detail showing the connection between the lifting-lever andthe movable frame section of the device.

Fig. 4, is a plan view of a hinge-member.

In carrying out the aim of my present invention I employ a suitablestationary base consisting of the side members 1 and the endcross-pieces 2 and 3.

A pair of suitable supporting legs 4 are hingedly connected as at 5, inspaced relation, to the upper face of each side basemember 1, as clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Pivotally connected, as at 6, to each pair of supporting-legs 4c is theside members 7 of a movable lifting frame. One end of the side members 7of the movable lifting frame are connected by means of the crosspiece 8.This cross-piece is preferably secured at each end to the lower face ofeach side lifting member 7. The forward end of each side lifting member7 is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 9 adapted to act as a stopfor the front axle of a vehicle tostrike against to prevent the vehiclefrom rolling completely over the device.

The means for actuatmg the movable liftframe consists of a suitablyshaped lifting or voperating-lever 1O hinged near its lower end, as at11, to cross-piece 2 of the lower or stationary frame or base section.

tioned behind the strap member 13, of the lever 10, as clearly shown inFigs. 2 and 3. The object of having the strap 13 recessed or channeledas at 1 1, is to permit the recessed portion 14 to gradually engage theshoulder 19 of the plate 15 to render lifting of the lever 10 more easywhen a load is resting upon thelifting frame due to a slipping movementcaused by the recess 14% coming into gradual contact with the shoulder19 of plate 15.

It will be observed that when the lifting frame is in its lowermostposition, as shown in Fig. 2, that the cross-piece 8 thereof 'is restingupon the lower end of the lifting lever 10. When it is desired to raiseor lift the lifting or movable frame from the position' in dotted linesto full lines, as shown in Fig. 2, the operator merely pulls up upon thelever 10 causing it to force the lifting.

frame into its uppermost position and thereby raising the automobiletires from the dotted line position upon the ground designated A to thedotted line position designated 13 above the ground level therebyrelieving the rubber-tires of all weight of the vehicle, as is manifest.To lower the vehicle so that the tires may again rest upon the groundthe operator merely pulls down upon the lever 10 causing same, throughthe connections 13, 15, 17, and 18, to pull the lifting frame into theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In constructing a device of the class described for raising or liftingheavy cars, I provide means adapted to assist in raising the frame atthe point of greatest load upon the lifting lever 10. This meansconsists of Patented June 7, 1921. I

a rotatable plate 20 suitably supported upon the cross-piece 21. Fixedto the center of the rotatable plate 20 is an outwardly extending arm22. The outer end of this arm 22 has a suitable rod connection 23 withthe cross-piece 8 of the lifting frame. A'suitable arm 24: is suitablyconnected at one end to the rotatable plate and at its opposite end toone end of a suitable coiled spring 25, the opposite end of which isconnected to the cross-piece 26. il hen the lifting frame is in itsuppermost or raised position, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2,the

means just described assumes the positionshown in full lines in Figs. 1and 2 with the spring contracted, and when the lifting frame is in itslowermost position, said means, assumes the position shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1, with the spring extended and set to assist in raisingthe lifting frame whenever the connecting-rod 23 forces the arm 24; outof locked position, which locked position is indicated in dotted linesin 1. Itwill be observed that this operation takes place whenever thelifting lever 10 has been raised to an angle of about l5 degrees. tl iththe pulling power of the spring 25 in addition to the force applied tothe lev r 10, raising the lifting frame with a heavy automobile therconis a comparatively easy operation.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that l have soconstructed a lifting device that can be placed in any garage,

private or public, in such a manner that an automobile may be drivenover the device and by merely lifting the operating lever 10, raise thewheel of the automobile clear-of the ground or floor thereby relievingthe dead weight of the car upon the tires. it takes but a few seconds toraise a vehicle, it is possible with my device to raise the vehicle eachtime it is placed in the garage whether for a short or long period oftime. It will be readily seen that it is a most con- L LL S venientdevice for relievin the tires of the dead load of the vehicle over nightwhich alone adds greatly to the life of automobile tires, as ismanifest.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the details ofconstruction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as itis manifest that variations and modifications may be made in thefeatures of construction and arrangement in the adaption ofthe device tovarious conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention and the terms of the following claims, hence wish it to beunderstoodthat I reserve the right to make any such changes ormodifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claimswhen fairly construed.

l i hat I claim is:

1. An automobile ack comprising a base frame, a lifting frame pivotallymounted above said base frame and connected therewith, a lifting leverhaving a cutaway portion hingedly connected at its lower end to d baseframe, a strap iron member spanning the cutaway portion of said lever, ahinge plate fixed to one end of said movable lifting frame and extendingtherefrom, and a pin carried by the extended end of said hinge plateadapted to slidably engage the rear face of said strap iron memberduring the raising and lowering operations of the lifting lever. A

2. In combination, astationary base frame,

a movable lifting frame adapted to support a vehicle by the axles of thevehicle resting upon said movable lifting frame, hingedly connectedsupporting legs connecting the base frame with the movable liftingframe,

.a lifting lever hingedly connected at its lowerend to said base frameand engaging one end of the movable lifting frame when manipulated forraising or lowering said frame, a connection between said movablelifting frame and said lifting lever, one end of said connection workingwithin a slotted opening in said lifting lever, a rotatable platesupported by the base frame, an arm extending outwardly from the centerof said plate, a connection between said arm and one end of the liftingframe, a coiled spring fixed at one end to the base frame and aconnection between the opposite end of said coiled spring and saidrotatable plate to permit the force of thespring to assist in elevatingthe movable lifting frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to thespecification.

. I-IENRX F. FIENUP,

